Press Releases 2008
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Karachi, May 8, 2008 - U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Anne W. Patterson addressing the members of Pakistan Management Association (MAP). MAP President Asif Qadir, Aftab Ahmad of Citibank and Farooq Hassan are also visible.
Ambassador Patterson Asks Business Community to Help Build Better Understanding
05/08/2008
Karachi – The U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan, Anne W. Patterson, called upon the business community “to help build a better understanding of the U.S.-Pakistan relationship” while addressing the Management Association of Pakistan (MAP) here today.
“One of our very strong prioritifes in the U.S. relationship with Pakistan is support for private sector development throughout the country,” Ambassador Patterson declared while speaking on the goals and interests of U.S.-Pakistan relations. “Private sector initiative and innovation are the best antidote to the economic stagnation and hopelessness that extremists exploit."
The Ambassador said that the scope and scale of American investments in Pakistan’s future should serve as indicator that the United States is taking a long-term view of this relationship.
“We want to see Pakistan making progress toward the goals it has set for itself,” she emphasized. “The United States is uniquely positioned to help as the biggest single investor, the largest market, the largest source of remittances, and the largest donor.”
Ambassador Patterson noted that those who oppose American engagement in Pakistan have a very limited understanding of “how our partnerships – the economic assistance and financial interactions - affect the lives of everyday Pakistanis in real and positive ways.”
“We encourage American investors to look to Pakistan as a destination for their franchises and new ventures,” Ambassador Patterson pointed out. “But the violation of intellectual property rights continues to be a major deterrent to local and foreign investment in.”
The American Ambassador recounted the various U.S. assistance programs that are under way in Pakistan and noted that Pakistan is now the third-largest recipient of U.S. assistance in the world. “Our objective in providing this assistance is simple and clear: a stable, democratic, and prosperous Pakistan free of militant extremism will make America safer and more prosperous.”
The ambassador informed the participants that the U.S. also wanted to reopen discussions with the new government on the Bilateral Investment Treaty. “It could be a useful first step toward an eventual free trade agreement with the United States.”
